“I’m afraid! I’ll drown!” cries Clarence.
“If you’re afraid, you will. But you must learn not to be afraid. Salt water is strong and will hold you up. And besides, I am here to take care of you.”
So Hazel puts her hand under him and Clarence stretches himself, face downward, on top of the water. Then he folds his hands together, and spreads them out again, pushing the water away from him, and using his feet as paddles, and is quite proud of his success. He wants to learn how to swim, so that if he should go out in a boat and be thrown over-board, he could keep his head above water until help came.
When Clarence comes out of the water he must be well rubbed, and oh, how his cheeks will glow! Then he must take a run on the shore.
GOING CRABBING.
Come, Bob, Tom, Ned, Jack, Jim—all of you. We are going a-crabbing.
Hooray! hooray! hooray!
Bob and Tom must carry the nets, and here is twine and bait enough for all of us. It is a dull day, and the crabs will bite well, I guess.
What queer shells! Yes. They are periwinkles. Ned will crack them for us when we get to the creek. Then I will show you how to catch crabs. Here we are!